Illuminating apparatus



Nov. 10, 1942. L. A. PATTON EIAL 2,301,788

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS Filed March l3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l v n F16. f M

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I E a4 Si Q- wvewroks L A PATTON P.C.$MITH "5 Maw-1 A TTORNEV Nov. 10, 1942. L. A. PATTON ErAL ILLUMINATJIING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1940 ZVSheetS-Sheet 2 J 6 I F E m n ma 0 r0 r NTT T wam 4 m 3 m m R LR\ Patented Nov. 10, 1942 lLL-UMINATING APPARATUS Lloyd A. Patton, East Orange, and Ray C. Smith,

Rutherford, N. J., assignors to Western Electrio Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 13, 1940, Serial No. 323,726

1 Claim.

This invention relates to illuminating apparatus, and more particularly toilluminating apparatus for use in assembling or adjusting articles.

In assembling and adjusting certain types of articles or apparatus, for example, relays used in the art of telephony, it has been found that more than the standard overhead light is necessary in properly illuminating the field of work without interfering with the operators sight. Although light rays projecting on the work from above are satisfactory when the portions of the work requiring the attention of the operator are in the path of such rays, but when additional portions of the work at the sides or bottom thereof require the operators attention such light rays in some instances may be found not to be completely satisfactory.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, efllcient and highly practical apparatus for illuminating articles.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises an illuminating apparatus having a hollow work support, upon which tubular uprights are mounted, for supporting a lamp over the work, positioned on the work support, and also having a lamp disposed therein beneath a mesh covered opening where louvers are disposed to direct the light rays from the secondmentioned light to the work and away from the operator.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the apparatus, portions thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower portion of the apparatus taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, numeral designates a hollow support of the general contour and structure shown. In the present instance the support is formed of sheet metal reenforced by suitable angle members as illustrated in Fig. l.

Spaced members H and I2 are mounted upon the 50 upper surface of the support near the rear edge thereof and project upwardly to removably support an article 14 therebetween.

An elongate aperture I6 is formed in the support III in the upper portion thereof, extending substantially the full width of the support and disposed adjacent the forward edge or surface I! thereof. A lamp l8, which in the present instance is a fluorescent lamp, substantially equal in length to the aperture i6 is disposed in the support adjacent the opening but not in true alignment therewith. It will be observed, by viewing Figs. 2, 3 and 4, that the lamp is .disposed slightly to the front of the vertical center of the aperture [6. Suitable brackets 20 for the lamp I8 are mounted in the support and are provided with the necessary electrical contacts to include the lamp in an electrical circuit controlled by a switch 2| when a connecting plug 22 is inserted in a suitable socket of a supply circuit (not shown).

A screen 24 is mounted across the aperture it within the support to eliminate the possibility of particles dropping into the support and on the lamp. Above the screen is disposed a plurality of louvers 25 spaced as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and extending in directions parallel with each other to control rays of light given by the lamp, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The under surface of the support It] has domelike members 26 for resting on a suitable bench or table when the apparatus is in use. The upper portion of the support continues upwardly and rearwardly at an angle as illustrated at 21 in 30 Figs. 1 and 3, to eliminate the possibility of articles or tools used in the adjustment and assembly of articles from dropping from the support.

Substantially U-shaped tubular uprights 30 have their lower ends extending into the support In through apertures in the rear wall thereof, where they are secured against .displacement by suitable means such as brackets 3!, while the upper ends thereof extend forwardly to support a 0 lamp unit indicated generally at 32. The lamp unit comprises a reflector 34 having suitable brackets 35 mounted therein for removably supporting a lamp 36 and electrically including the lamp in a circuit controlled by a switch 31 when the plug 22 is connected with a suitable source of electrical energy. The electrical conductors for the circuit including the lamp 35 may be used in either or both uprights 30 extending from the support ID to the brackets 35. The lamp 36 in the present instance is of the fluorescent type, extending longitudinally of its shade 34 between the brackets 35 while the shade 34 has a hollow inner contour that will direct rays of light given by the lamp 36 downwardly toward the article l4 supportedby the member H. In order to eliminate the possibility of any of these rays of light from being directed toward the operators eyes, a shield 38 is supported by and extends longitudinally of the forward and lower end of the shade 34.

When the apparatus is in use in assembling or adjusting articles supported by the members II and I2, both lamps l8 and 36 may be illuminated by actuating the switches 2| and 31, respectively, to complete the electrical circuits of these lamps. The lamps 36 will give rays of light which will be controlled by the reflector 34 to reflect the rays downwardly toward the article I4 and completely as well as uniformly cover the article throughout its length with uniform light so that the operator may readily observe any part of the article on which he desires to work. 7

Referring now to the lamp I8, it will be observed that the rays of light given thereby will be directed through the aperture l6 and controlled by the louvers 25, the lamp l8 extending the full length of the aperture giving uniform rays of light for the full length thereof. These rays of light are directed upwardly at an angle toward the article I 4 and away from the forward edge I! of the support. The purposes for directing the rays of light in this direction are to uniformly cover the article throughout its length with the ways of light so that the operator may-readily observe any part of the article throughout its length without any variation in the light from the different parts thereof, and further to keep the rays of light away from the operators eyes. When an operator is required to work on elongate articles it is a strain on his eyes if all parts requiring his attention are not properly and uniformly illuminated. For example, if the parts at the center are illuminated more than those at the ends a constant change takes place in the focusing effect of the operators eyes as the operator shifts his glance from one position to another. When this is continued throughout a working day there exists considerable strain on the eyes of the operator in addition to the reduction in his efficiency caused by improper illumination. When such an article is illuminated uniformly throughout its length on all surfaces requiring the attention of the operator, there is no repeated change in the function of the operators eyes as they move their glance from one position on the article to another.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is illustrative only and may be widely modified and departed from in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as pointed out in and limited solely by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An illuminating apparatus comprising a hollow support having walls including a front wall and a top wall, the latter having an elongate aperture therein spaced back from the front wall, spaced members mounted upon the top wall externally of the support to support, an elongate article at a spaced position above the support back of the aperture and parallel therewith, a fluorescent lamp disposed in the support adjacent the aperture and parallel therewith to give uniform rays of light through the aperture throughout the length thereof, louvers disposed in the housing and extending longitudinally of the aperture parallel therewith and with the lamp and the article to direct the rays passing through the aperture uniformly away from the front wall and directly to the front and bottom portions of the article, an upright mounted on the support, a second fluorescent lamp mounted adjacent the upper end of the upright and parallel with the article to give uniform light rays above and closely adjacent the article, and means to direct the light rays of the second lamp uniformly downwardly to the top portion of the article.

LLOYD A. PATTON. RAY C. SMITH. 

